PROJECTSUMMARY/ABSTRACT Our goal is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms that coordinate to pattern complex epithelialorgans.Theseconservedmechanismsmustbecorrectlyregulatedtogeneratefunctionalorgansand are frequently re-utilized in mature organs to maintain homeostasis and function. We focus on a conserved familyofcoreadaptorproteinsthatarekeyregulatorsofcellandtissuestability:Cindr(inDrosophila)andthe mouseorthologsCin85andCd2ap.Cindrrecruitsproteincomplexesthatincludeactinregulatorsandsignaling proteins.Exploringthedynamicfunctionofthesecomplexes?andhowtheyareregulated-willelucidatethe system of molecular events that pattern tissues and how these go awry. In preliminary studies we observed functionalinteractionsbetweenCindrandtheDrosophilaJunterminalkinaseJNK(Bskinflies)andCindrand Mask(acomponentofHipposignaling)thatareessentialforcorrecttissuepatterning.Ourdatasupportsthe hypotheses that Cindr interacts with JNK/Bsk to restrict JNK (Specific Aim 1) and with Mask to promote its functionandthatofitscofactorYki(SpecificAim2)whichisrepressedwhenHipposignalingisactive.These preliminaryfindingshavefar-reachingimplicationsfirstlybecausethecontributionsofJNKandHipposignaling to organ morphogenesis are unclear. Second, the role of Cindr in regulating and integrating these signals during organ patterning has not been explored. To address these open questions, we will combine genetic, biochemical, immunofluorescence and live-cell-imaging approaches to elucidate the specific contributions of JNKandMaskandtheirinteractionswithCindrtoDrosophilaeyepatterning.